Losing a loved one in a preventable accident can leave your family facing emotional pain, unexpected expenses, and uncertainty about the future. Along with the grief of losing someone important, you may also be dealing with other unexpected challenges that come with your loss.
Minnesota law allows certain surviving family members to pursue compensation if another party’s wrongful conduct caused a death. If you have questions about this process or how it works, our compassionate attorneys have the answers. Contact a Hutchinson wrongful death lawyer at Maschka Personal Injury to explore your legal options and determine what compensation may be available to your family.
While the loss of life is always tragic, not every death is considered “wrongful” under the law. These legal actions are limited to situations where another person’s wrongful act or omission caused the death. If the deceased person could have pursued a personal injury claim had they survived, a wrongful death action may be appropriate, such as if the death was caused by another party’s negligence.
Negligence occurs if someone fails to exercise reasonable care and that failure results in harm. In the context of a wrongful death case, this could look like an impaired driver causing a fatal accident or a surgeon negligently making an error that leads to the death of their patient.
It is important to remember that not every accidental death creates grounds for a wrongful death claim. The surviving family has to establish that another party had a legal responsibility to the deceased, and their failure to meet it resulted in a fatal injury. A Hutchinson wrongful death attorney can answer your questions about if these claims are appropriate.
The unfortunate truth is that many different scenarios can lead to an unexpected, untimely death. Our Hutchinson wrongful death attorneys could help your family pursue justice after any of these incidents:
A driver’s negligence can cause a fatal collision in seconds. Some of the most common causes of fatal car accidents include speeding, distracted driving, and the failure to yield the right-of-way.
Commercial trucks can cause devastating injuries because of their size and weight. Fatal truck accidents can involve driver fatigue, unsafe speeds, improper loading, inadequate maintenance, or other safety failures.
Motorcyclists have little physical protection during a collision. A driver who fails to check a blind spot or turns across an approaching motorcycle can cause fatal injuries.
Pedestrians face significant risks if motorists fail to watch for them or obey traffic laws. Even a relatively low-speed collision can cause fatal injuries to an unsuspecting pedestrian.
An investigation can examine driver conduct, witness statements, surveillance footage, and other evidence to establish how the accident occurred.
Some fatal injuries are the result of a defective or dangerous product. This might involve a defect that was created during the product design phase, or it could have resulted during manufacturing. Many different products have caused fatal injuries in the past, from motor vehicles to kitchen appliances and even food.
Minnesota generally requires a wrongful death action to begin within three years after the person’s death but no later than six years after the wrongful act that caused it. While there may be some exceptions to this rule, you can expect the courts to aggressively enforce the statute of limitations on a wrongful death action.
A Hutchinson attorney handling wrongful death claims can help clarify which deadlines may apply to your circumstances.
If you are dealing with the loss of a loved one, it may be time to explore your legal options. At Maschka Personal Injury, our legal team can answer your questions and provide you with the right path forward. Contact us today for a confidential consultation with a Hutchinson wrongful death lawyer.
